Flying Without Wings

Birds may be the true flyers of the animal kingdom, but these creatures have found their own ingenious ways of soaring through the air

The propelling body of the flying fish

With a torso that’s streamlined to perfection and four wing-like fins, flying fish have evolved a remarkable ability to break the water’s surface, gliding through the air to escape predators. They build up speed underwater, angle themselves upwards then rapidly beat their tail until they reach the surface. This initial jump can carry them up to 200 meters (655 feet) and they can flap their tail off the surface to continue for 400 meters (1,312 feet) in total, leaving their predator far behind.